President Donald Trump listens to journalists’ questions while gathering with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the Oval Office of the White House on April 17, 2025 in Washington, DC.
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President Donald Trump with the executive directors of three of the nation’s main retailers, who came to the White House to discuss how radical tariff plans could affect their commercial models with importance.
Walmart CEO Doug McMillon and Aim Executive President Brian Cornell attended, just like Home Deposit CEO Ted Decker.
A White House official told CNBC early Monday that a representative of Lowe’s I would also be at the meeting. After the meeting concluded, an official told NBC News that he did not attend anyone from Lowe’s.
After completing the meeting, the three companies issued almost identical statements.
“We had a productive meeting with President Trump and his team and we appreciated the opportunity to share our ideas,” said a Walmart spokesman.
“We had a productive meeting with President Trump and our fellow retailers to discuss the way to follow in commerce, and we continue to deliver value to US consumers,” said Target’s statement.
“We had an information and constructive meeting with the president and we hope to continue the dialogue,” said Home Depot statement.
The meeting, first reported by Bloomberg earlier in the day, was not included in the president’s public calendar.
In a statement provided to CNBC later on Monday, Trump said the meeting “was very good,” and added: “It was an honor to have them” in the Oval office.
For retailers, rates are the last threat to an already challenging economic panorama, where consumers look for low prices after high inflation years.
However, tariffs weigh in some retailers more than others. As the largest nations shopkeeper, Walmart is in a better position than many of its competitors.
Around two thirds of what Walmart sells in the United States is done, cultivated or meets in the United States, said financial director John David Rainey in this at an investor event in Dallas.
Walmart imports the last third of the whole world, he said, but China and Mexico are the “most important” supplier countries.
Target, on the other hand, is in a harder place. Minorist with headquarters in Minneapolis is quite known for discretionary merchandise as economic and elegant clothing and home products, products that are generally manufactured abroad.
Target’s annual income has stagnated approximately during the last four years, and the company recently projected sales growth only of 1% for the current fiscal year.
The key commercial group of the industry, the National Federation of Retail, has sounded alarms on Harms Tars for American families. The group, which presses and repeats the retailers, has published their own estimates of how much more consumers would have to pay for daily items such as sneakers, roasters and mattresses.
“More tariffs are equivalent to more anxiety and uncertainty for US companies and consumers,” said David French, executive vice president of NRF government relations, the day Trump revealed his reciprocal “reciprocal”, which he has done since then.
“While leaders in Washington do not care the highest prices, US working families do it,” French said.
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